From sleep to the microbiome: bringing new approaches and research tools to the study of dementia to discover new disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets.
UK DRI at Imperial College London has innovation as its theme. This draws on the university’s unique strengths and focus on science, engineering, medicine and business. Led by Professor Paul Matthews, the research team brings novel, cutting edge approaches and research tools to the study of dementia to discover new disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets. They will initially focus on the earliest pre-symptomatic stages of Alzheimer’s disease, addressing what determines the transition to neurodegeneration, but will investigate mechanisms that are likely shared across many of the dementias.
With access to large, well characterised longitudinal cohorts the team will explore causes of individual variation in dementia within populations, looking at changes that occur across the lifespan and specifically addressing metabolic factors, the relationship with microorganisms in gut (the microbiome) and the role of sleep. The team will use a range of resources including Dementias Platform UK and the MRC-NIHR National Phenome Centre.
UK DRI at Imperial College London will be located at the White City campus Hammersmith, London, in the Sir Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Research Hub due to be completed in 2019, alongside Imperial’s translation and innovation ‘I-HUB’.
The UK DRI at Imperial have an exciting role for an experienced technician to provide technical support and management on projects related to the human neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease in Prof Paul Matthews’ group. Candidates with prior experience with handling preclinical models or human tissues and in processing and performing analyses of their histopathology will be prioritised. Availability of a CyTOF and imaging mass cytometer will allow post holders to develop new expertise related to the multivariate analyses of cellular marker proteins with these exciting, advanced tools. Having experience in DNA and RNA preparation, PCR, qPCR and Western blotting will be an advantage. Technicians in the UK DRI at Imperial enjoy excellent career development opportunities including the opportunity to participate in the Technicians’ Network at Imperial and more widely with technologists across the UK DRI. Ref: MED03099, Closing date: 29 May 2022
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